With the most recent trade rumor put to rest, Bryant will turn his attention to helping the Lakers try to earn their first win Friday when they visit the Phoenix Suns, who have knocked Los Angeles out of the playoffs each of the past two seasons.

Two days after Bryant scored 45 points in a 95-93 season-opening loss to Houston at home, Chicago squashed a rumored three-team deal Thursday in which the Bulls would get the nine-time All-Star, who slammed the Lakers' front office and asked for a trade in the offseason.

Though trade talk involving Bryant is likely to continue, he insists he won't let it bother him or his teammates.

"When we're playing in a game, we just focus on one another and the bonds that we have," said Bryant, who was booed by his home crowd Tuesday. "It has nothing to do with (trade) speculation or business or anything like that.

"Business a lot of times can cloud the game and take the fun out of the game if you allow it to. And that's something that I won't allow to happen."

He'll also try to help the Lakers (0-1) avoid a seventh straight regular-season road loss to the Suns (1-0), who are again expected to challenge for the Western Conference title and coming off a 106-99 season-opening win at Seattle on Thursday.

Phoenix eliminated Los Angeles in five games in the first round last season after rallying from a 3-1 series deficit two seasons ago against the Lakers.

"They're expecting to win a championship and they're a team that really gets under our skin in terms of knocking us out of the playoffs the last two years," Bryant told the Lakers' official Web site. "We're going to go in there ready to play with a chip on our shoulder and see if we can't do some damage."

Bryant averaged 32.8 points on 46.2 percent shooting in last year's playoffs against the Suns.

On Tuesday, Bryant was 13-for-32 from the field and just 18-for-27 from the free-throw line for the Lakers, who shot 60 percent (27-for-45) from the line and had just one other player in double figures.

Derek Fisher scored 17 points in his return to Los Angeles, which is without Lamar Odom, who will miss the first few games while recovering from shoulder surgery. Odom also suffered a slight concussion in an automobile accident Tuesday.

Bryant will renew his rivalry with Raja Bell, who had a tough assignment in Phoenix's season opener Thursday. Bell helped guard SuperSonics rookie Kevin Durant, who scored 27 points.

Amare Stoudemire had 23 points and 11 rebounds to lead three Phoenix players who posted double-doubles against Seattle. Steve Nash had 18 points and 12 assists, while Shawn Marion added 14 points and 11 rebounds for the Suns, who won despite being outrebounded 50-44 and committing 20 turnovers.

Grant Hill had 13 points and five assists in his Phoenix debut.

"On this team, anyone can make the big plays," said Phoenix reserve Marcus Banks, who added 12 points.

Stoudemire, who played for just third time since undergoing knee surgery a month ago, averaged 24.2 points and 13.6 rebounds in the playoffs last season versus the Lakers.

The Suns return for their home opener Friday after going 33-8 at U.S. Airways Center last season - their best home mark since 1993-94. Phoenix has won 11 of its last 15 home openers.

All I can say is it’s nice to have the most talented player on your team but what’s the point of having him if he can’t work with his teammates.

Kobe considers himself as the leader of the Lakers but leaders are the one who’s suppose to get the most out of your teammates. The question you have to ask yourself if you’re a Laker fan, is Kobe fulfilling that role?

The difference here is management and teammates.

Jordan had success because he had Pippen who's also a vocal leader. Jordan was the bad cop, Pippen was the good cop in the team. Compare that with Odom who's not a vocal leader and can't play good cop to Kobe's bad cop.

Jordan had success because he had superior team mates. And above all, the above Bulls players knew how to play good individual and team defense. Something the Laker players aside from Bryant don't know what to do.

And how about not extending Devean George's rookie contract so when his rookie contract expired, the Lakers had to use their MLE to re-sign him missing them out on valuable free agents.

Or the fact that the Charlotte Hornets offered Baron Davis to the Lakers thrice (two were vetoed by Phil, the last they vetoed because of "health" reasons) and they rejected it.Or the fact that Artest was ready to play for the Lakers and LA looked the other way.Or the fact that Jerry Buss and Glen Taylor (of the Wolves) had a handshake deal to trade KG and Mitch couldn't land a suitable trade to satisfy McHale.

And the promise to win now to Kobe and yet not doing anything to win now.

Sure Kobe's at fault for a lot of things. But the team management has more to share in the blame.

We all know that Kobe’s teammate is not good enough to win the championship but that’s not the point. Some superstar calls their own teammates out because they want to motivate them, push them, make them go for more, that I can understand but that’s not what happened with Kobe. He called his teammates out not for the motivation but to prove a point. He puts them down to show the whole world that the player he plays with is not good enough, that’s your leader? I’m not saying it’s not true but is that what leaders do?

About the broken promises by the front office, does that give him the right to say all those things? (especially what he said about Bynum). Let’s use KG as an example, the guy has zero ring Bryant has 3. KG has missed the playoffs the last 3 years, Kobe made the playoffs last 2 years. Who do you think is more desperate Kobe or KG? That’s right KG but did you hear Garnett say something negative about his teammates NO. That’s what make me question Kobe’s leadership. You think Mchale didn’t break any promises to KG? He probably did worse than our management but you never hear KG rip his own team the way Kobe did.

_________________"Ask not what your teammates can do for you. Ask what you can do for your teammates."- Magic Johnson

We all know that Kobe’s teammate is not good enough to win the championship but that’s not the point. Some superstar calls their own teammates out because they want to motivate them, push them, make them go for more, that I can understand but that’s not what happened with Kobe. He called his teammates out not for the motivation but to prove a point. He puts them down to show the whole world that the player he plays with is not good enough, that’s your leader? I’m not saying it’s not true but is that what leaders do?

About the broken promises by the front office, does that give him the right to say all those things? (especially what he said about Bynum). Let’s use KG as an example, the guy has zero ring Bryant has 3. KG has missed the playoffs the last 3 years, Kobe made the playoffs last 2 years. Who do you think is more desperate Kobe or KG? That’s right KG but did you hear Garnett say something negative about his teammates NO. That’s what make me question Kobe’s leadership. You think Mchale didn’t break any promises to KG? He probably did worse than our management but you never hear KG rip his own team the way Kobe did.

it's better if we don't think about the past... it is now the present.. let KOBE be KOBE and do his things in BASKETBALL and the lakers will be successful.. KEEP THE FAITH!

Like everyone, James has been keeping an eye on the unfolding Kobe Bryant drama.Part of James wouldn't mind if Bryant ended up in the East.

"As a competitor, I would love to play against Kobe Bryant four times a year," he said. "As a fan, it's almost like when Mike (Jordan) played for the Wizards. You really can't see Kobe playing for anyone but the Lakers."

Exellent ball movement by the Lakers. A very consistent defense too. I know that the Suns are getting good looks and that they're just shooting poorly, but that kind of consitent effort on defense can give them a good chance to win a game.

I'm really glad that D-Fish is playing the point guard position, because he can stay in front of Nash way better than that tard Smush Parker.

Good job by the kid Bynum and Kwame on posting up Amare and getting him on foul trouble.

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